Fundamentals of Nursing Q 33

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To institute appropriate isolation precautions, the nurse must first know the:

  

     A. Organism’s mode of transmission

     B. Organism’s Gram-staining characteristics

     C. Organism’s susceptibility to antibiotics

     D. Patient’s susceptibility to the organism

    

    

Correct Answer: A. Organism’s mode of transmission

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Before instituting isolation precaution, the nurse must first determine the organism’s mode of transmission. For example, an organism transmitted through nasal secretions requires that the patient be kept in respiratory isolation, which involves keeping the patient in a private room with the door closed and wearing a mask, a gown, and gloves when coming in direct contact with the patient.

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Option B: The organism’s Gram-staining characteristics reveal whether the organism is gram-negative or gram-positive, an important criterion in the physician’s choice for drug therapy and the nurse’s development of an effective plan of care.

Option C: The nurse also needs to know whether the organism is susceptible to antibiotics, but this could take several days to determine; if she waits for the results before instituting isolation precautions, the organism could be transmitted in the meantime.

Option D: The patient’s susceptibility to the organism has already been established. The nurse would not be instituting isolation precautions for a non-infected patient.

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